The following Memorial Day post was originally published on May 25th, 2015:
Dame Vera Lynn
Today is Memorial Day, and I’m feeling humbly grateful to all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Since I’ve been reading a lot of WWII history lately, I’ve also been playing a lot of WWII-era music here in my sanctuary to all things radio.
Few songs sum up the yearning sentiment of World War II better than Vera Lynn’s 1942 rendition of “The White Cliffs of Dover.” It’s an iconic song, one that helped British soldiers see beyond the war while mourning its painful toll. It was written in 1941 when England was taking heavy casualties, just before American allies joined the effort.
This morning, seeking something with a little authenticity, I played “The White Cliffs of Dover” though my SStran AM transmitter, and listened to it through “Scottie,” my WWII-era Scott Marine radio (above). I made this recording by placing my Zoom H2N recorder directly in front of the Scott’s built-in monitor speaker.
So here you go: a little radio tribute to all of those who fell–on both sides–of that infamous second world war.
And thanks to all who serve and have served in the name of “peace ever after.”
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen below:
” Since I’ve been reading a lot of WWII history lately”
Several thousand war books under the TopicID67 of Library Genesis
http://gen.lib.rus.ec/search.php?&res=100&req=topicid67&phrase=1&view=simple&column=def&sort=year&sortmode=DESC
Radio specifically shows 3 books
http://gen.lib.rus.ec/search.php?req=topicid67+radio++&open=0&res=100&view=simple&phrase=1&column=def
Broadcasting brings up 1 on the Burma Front.
But not all Lib Gen books are tagged with the appropriate topicID.
So try radio war; or war broadcasting, military, music for a few more.
And on the North African fronts, Lili Marleen, heard and sung by the Germans and the Allies.
Written in 1915 as a poem, the song was published in 1937 and was first recorded by Lale Andersen in 1939 as “Das Mädchen unter der Laterne” (“The Girl under the Lantern”).
And of course, the compulsive German recording label, in 2006, Bear Family Records released a 7-CD set Lili Marleen an allen Fronten (“Lili Marleen on all Fronts”), including nearly 200 versions of “Lili Marleen” with a 180-page booklet. (ISBN 3-89916-154-8).
Just listened to your recording and very moved by it. Thank you for sharing this, Thomas. This is a time in our (shared) history we must never forget, nor forget so many who gave their lives for us. Sadly many of our young people do not understand this.
Very appropriate today, Thomas. Many thanks for posting this.
As a side note, Dame Vera Lynn’s article at wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_Lynn) shows that she’s still alive at age 102, and had a compilation album top the UK charts just ten years ago. The rest of the article reveals that she is in person every bit as lovely as her voice.
Very fitting post for this day. Let us remember those who’ve fought and died for this great country and God bless the USA, the best place to be living in. Thanks Thomas for the thoughtful post.